How to Make a Holly Wreath

Holly wreaths are "the" traditional Christmas decoration. These evergreen favorites are durable and - with a few added bows, bells and berries - a colorful addition to an entryway or mantel.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Wide Ribbons
• Wire Wreath Frame
• Floral Wires
• Garden Shears
• Holly
• Pine Cones
• Small Apples
• Craft Wire

1. Cut a large shopping bag full of holly (Ilex) from your garden in 6-inch-long trimmings.
2. Use a wire wreath frame or make your own frame from a wire coat hanger. (Simply unbend it from the familiar shape into a circle - you can use the hook to hang your finished wreath.)
3. Attach number-24 floral wire (sometimes called paddle wire) anywhere along the wire wreath frame.
4. Select several stems of the 6-inch holly pieces and place them together in a bunch with the stems at one end.
5. Place a stem that has some berries on top of the bundle of holly.
6. Place the bundle on top of the frame where the floral wire is connected.
7. Hold the bundle in place and wrap the floral wire around the bundle and frame. You will need two hands for this: one to hold the bundle in place against the frame and one to wrap the wire.
8. Wrap the floral wire around the bundle a second time and then pull it tight. Make sure to leave the wire attached to the frame - you have a long way to go.
9. Gather another bundle of holly and place it so that the leaves overlap the first bunch and cover the stems. Make sure that the stems on both bunches face the same direction.
10. Continue overlapping the bunches of foliage and wiring them to the frame until you complete the circle.
11. Lift the first bundle that you wired onto the frame and tuck the last one under it.
12. Twist the wire tightly around the last bundle. Knot the wire onto the frame, leaving 1 inch of wire to hang the finished wreath.
13. Cut the wire with scissors or pruning shears when you're finished.

Tips & Warnings

• Thick bundles make fat wreaths. The more holly you add, the more full your wreath will appear.
• Cover the place where you begin and finish the wreath with a bow.
• Wire small apples, nandina berries or pinecones onto the finished wreath by twisting floral wire around their stems and then wiring them directly onto the foliage
• Holly leaves have sharp teeth! Handle them with respect.
• Freshly cut holly is sometimes dusty and dirty. Wash the trimmed pieces in a bucket of fresh water prior to building your wreath.

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